Style: Métiers d’Art

While craftsmanship is valued at LVMH, the division charged with material sourcing and protecting such skill is looking to collaboration and innovation to futureproof the production of luxury goods.

Luxury often treads a fine, precarious line between timelessness and reinvention. For LVMH Métiers d’Art, the department tasked with sourcing materials and preserving craftsmanship for the world’s most recognised luxury brands, it’s less a balancing act and more a systematic recalibration that favours traditional skill and methods. Since its founding in 2015, Métiers d’Art has set out to rewrite the rule book on how the finest materials – cotton, silk, wool and, of course, leather both common and exotic – are sourced, crafted and brought to market.

For LVMH Métiers d’Art, the department tasked with sourcing materials and preserving craftsmanship for the world’s most recognised luxury brands, it’s less a balancing act and more a systematic recalibration that favours traditional skill and methods.

In contrast to the rather lofty manifesto found on the LVMH website, CEO Matteo de Rosa is surprisingly succinct: “The objective is to create a traceable and transparent ethical supply chain,” he says. This means protecting traditional methods while rethinking them for a world demanding both beauty and accountability. It’s a strategy that prioritises integrity – environmentally, socially and economically – while preserving access to the materials that define the luxury industry.

At its core, Métiers d’Art exists to secure the best materials for its clients, both within and beyond the LVMH family. This isn’t simply about sourcing premium leather or exotic skins – it’s about rethinking every step of the process, from farm to finished product. “We start at the farm site,” says de Rosa, “so we have full visibility and control of the entire chain.” This approach is not merely about quality control; it’s about ensuring the chain is ethical, sustainable and resilient in the face of geopolitical and environmental challenges.

At its core, Métiers d’Art exists to secure the best materials for its clients, both within and beyond the LVMH family.

The scope is staggering. Métiers d’Art now encompasses nearly 20 companies, employs 4,000 people and generates almost $1.2 billion in turnover annually. From tanneries to textile mills, its reach spans continents and industries. While the primary focus is on serving LVMH’s showpiece maisons, the division’s network extends far beyond that. “Fifty per cent of our turnover comes from companies that are not LVMH,” says de Rosa, underscoring its dual role as both a proprietary resource and an independent industry leader.

Of course, LVMH isn’t alone in turning its attention to supply chain ecosystems. Fellow luxury behemoth Kering has also made inroads into the market, as has Hermès, which has slowly purchased several of its leather suppliers including D’Annonay tannery and Tanneries du Puy.

“An artist injects a new way of thinking. They push the boundaries of what you see, and it can become real.”

What makes Métiers d’Art unique is its collaborative approach. While LVMH brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior and Fendi rely on it to secure materials and techniques, external clients in the luxury sector also benefit from its innovations. At the same time, Métiers d’Art protects intellectual property for all its clients, ensuring exclusivity and trust. “We act as a company, so we protect their IP and ideas,” says de Rosa. “But what we share across the industry are practices, processes and innovations that push the industry further.”

One of its most notable initiatives is the Artist in Residence program, where contemporary makers are embedded in workshops for six months. With no budget or brief, artists work alongside artisans to challenge conventions and unlock new possibilities. “An artist injects a new way of thinking. They push the boundaries of what you see, and it can become real.” The results are often transformative, leading to innovations in colouring techniques, material finishes and processes that might never have been conceived otherwise.

This interplay between tradition and experimentation extends to its partnerships with endangered crafts.

This interplay between tradition and experimentation extends to its partnerships with endangered crafts. In Japan, for instance, Métiers d’Art collaborates with Living National Treasures to elevate traditional techniques to a global stage. Exhibitions in Paris have introduced these crafts to LVMH designers and commercial teams, ensuring their relevance and application in contemporary design. These efforts guarantee the survival of skills by making them commercially viable.

Housed in an iconic Gustave Eiffel-designed building, the Paris showroom is a hub for education and storytelling. Open to B2B clients, students and the public during special events, it showcases the materials and craftsmanship behind Métiers d’Art’s operations. “We want to reverse the idea that luxury production is something hidden,” says de Rosa. “Our goal is to make operators proud of their work and attract new generations to these crafts.”

“Young talents entering our maisons often don’t understand the implications of working with living materials. Our job is to educate them on the constraints and the beauty of these materials so they can create better products with less waste.”

One of Métiers d’Art’s most significant contributions is education. This begins internally, with LVMH’s own designers and operators, many of whom are introduced to the complexities of working with natural materials for the first time. “Young talents entering our maisons often don’t understand the implications of working with living materials. Our job is to educate them on the constraints and the beauty of these materials so they can create better products with less waste.”

Perhaps the most forward-thinking aspect of Métiers d’Art’s work is its approach to talent mobility. Artisans within its network are encouraged to work across geographies and disciplines, fostering an exchange of skills and ideas. This strategy has already led to significant breakthroughs, such as using natural pigments as the first stable indigo-dyed leather. “It’s about allowing people to develop professionally. The fact that this also leads to new products is a by-product.”

“For us, sustainability means durability in time. If one part of the system – animal, environment or human – falls short, the whole system is compromised.”

For Métiers d’Art, sustainability isn’t a buzzword – it’s an ongoing practice. Whether it’s minimising chemical use, advancing regenerative agriculture or ensuring every part of an exotic skin is utilised, Métiers d’Art’s approach is meticulous. “For us, sustainability means durability in time. If one part of the system – animal, environment or human – falls short, the whole system is compromised.”

Research partnerships, such as the one with Yale University, provide the data needed to refine these practices continuously. The division’s efforts in exotic skins illustrate its nuanced approach. By ensuring that no part of the animal goes to waste and that local communities benefit from the industry, Métiers d’Art turns a contentious topic into an example of balanced sustainability.

De Rosa’s vision for Métiers d’Art is ambitious but grounded. “Most of our competitors focus on preserving things,” he says. “We are completely disruptive.” The goal is not simply to lead within the luxury sector but to redefine how industries approach materials, sustainability and craft, preserving the best of the past while preparing it for the demands of the future.